Hardwood floors are generally very durable and provide impressive resistance to all sorts of different scratches, dents, and scuffs, but they aren’t invincible. Homes with multiple pets and children running around can be especially susceptible to these types of flooring damage.
Regardless of how much or little foot traffic your hardwood floors get, with enough time, you’ll undoubtedly start to notice visible signs of hardwood floor damage from wear and tear popping up all over your home.
In many cases, you can fix normal wear and tear by sanding your hardwood floors down and refinishing them, but in more extreme cases, this simply isn’t enough. If you start to notice particularly deep scratches and dents all throughout the flooring in your home, you’ll most likely need to replace your hardwood floors entirely to achieve the best results.
Water is hardwood floorings worst enemy and while the vast majority of installers seal hardwood floors to prevent water from getting in, if your flooring is exposed to too much moisture it will eventually seep in.
Whether it's a spill that you waited too long to clean up, or simply a part of your home that has lots of excess moisture in the air, both of these issues can lead to excessive water damage that can cause anything from discoloration and warping to mold growth. It could even lead to the subfloor and other structurally important parts of your home to succumb to water damage.
If you notice any signs of water damage on your hardwood floors, it almost certainly means that you’ll need to replace them to prevent any further damage from taking root.
Anyone who lives in a home with hardwood floors is already quite familiar with the creaking noises that they often make. This is completely normal and is usually just a by-product of your hardwood expanding when it's hot and contracting when it's cold. However, hardwood floors shouldn’t be too creaky. If you notice that your hardwood flooring is starting to sound like something out of a haunted house, this is a tell tale sign that your hardwood is aging rapidly and should be replaced.
One of the many benefits of hardwood flooring is that it is usually quite easy to clean and can often improve the air quality in a home. This is because, unlike carpeting and many other flooring options, allergens, bacteria, and other microorganisms have a lot harder of a time seeping into hardwood floors.
If your hardwood’s sealing and finish start to deteriorate, spills, accidents from pets, and general moisture can seep in and when they do you might start to notice bad odors coming from your hardwood floors. Once something like mold or pet urine gets into your floors, it can be nearly impossible to remove with replacing them altogether. This means that if you start to smell any unpleasant odors coming from your flooring, it’s time to start thinking about replacing them.
Hardwood floors are known for their longevity and if you take care of them properly they could last upwards of 100 years. In order to make them last that long you’ll need to refinish your hardwood floors every seven to ten years, depending on how much foot traffic and wear and tear you put them through.
Refinishing your hardwood floors can do wonders to preserve their attractive look and overall health, but unfortunately you can’t continue refinishing them forever. Eventually the layer of hardwood will simply be too thin to sand down, stain and reseal.
The amount of times that you can refinish your hardwood floors largely depends on the original thickness of the wood, but in most cases, you can expect to be able to refinish your floors anywhere from four to six times before it gets too thin. This means that if you have already refinished your hardwood floors more than four or five times it’s probably time to start thinking about replacing them.
Are you looking for hardwood floor repair services in the Phoenixville, PA area? Are you thinking about replacing your old hardwood floors altogether? Give us a call at 610-935-2226 or contact us on our website, mydadsflooring.com.
Our team of friendly hardwood flooring experts is always here to answer your questions and will happily take the time to get to know you and your specific flooring needs. We’ll even walk you through all of our best hardwood flooring options and offer you free samples so that you can get your hands on all of your favorites before you ever have to make your final decision.
Nothing can transform your home quite like replacing your old, damaged flooring with brand new hardwood, so don’t push off your next flooring project any longer. Contact My Dad’s Flooring and get the new hardwood floors your home deserves today!
